10 Shillings - Elizabeth II Series C, portrait

The Series C 10 Shillings was the first Bank of England note to carry a portrait of the reigning monarch — a decision that had been avoided for centuries on the grounds that defacing the sovereign's image would be, in effect, an act of sedition. The shift was partly driven by anti-counterfeiting logic: a portrait is harder to forge convincingly than allegorical design. Robert Austin, a distinguished wood engraver and Royal Academician, produced the Queen's portrait before his death in 1962, meaning he did not live to see the note enter full circulation.

Three chief cashiers signed across the run, with Fforde-signed examples dating from 1966 onward. Decimal transition killed the denomination entirely — the 10 Shilling note was withdrawn in November 1970 when the 50 pence coin took over its role ahead of decimalisation.